


A New Way to Celebrate

by SassySexySloane



Category: NCIS
Genre: Birthday, F/M, Pasta, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-25 07:21:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22032172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassySexySloane/pseuds/SassySexySloane
Summary: This day was like any other to her. She tried not to dwell on it too much but it was the nature of the beast. Tell anyone not to think about something, even if it’s your own brain, and they’ll think about it. But the large flowers on her desk and the other surprises that follow make it hard to forget what day it is and who she needs to kill to make it stop. Does she want it to stop?
Relationships: Jethro Gibbs/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane
Comments: 8
Kudos: 100





	A New Way to Celebrate

**Author's Note:**

> So I got an idea and it grew into this. I'd usually split it but this is my birthday present to you. One large one shot.

This day was like any other to her. She tried not to dwell on it too much but it was the nature of the beast.  T ell anyone not to think about something, even if  i t ’ s your own brain, and they’ll think about it. 

She stopped celebrating this day long ago, probably around her early twenties. It must have been somewhere between her mother passing away and giving up Faith that Birthdays just weren’t the same. Although when she joined the  Army she was forced into celebratory activities such has getting blind drunk to forget about it while her friends at the time cheered her on. 

Gone were the days of getting blind drunk but she would get close tonight. Now a days it was work , work and more work. Getting so invested in her work that other thoughts drained away. Luckily people in DC didn’t know her well enough to know what day it was. 

Well, except for one person. Probably the only person that would have the balls enough to wish her a Happy Birthday but he had skipped it by taking her to lunch a few days ago. Said it was just two colleagues/ friends catching up but she knew him better.  Especially when he went to pay for the bill, but he only got away with it because he promised she would get the next one. 

Now she had rocked up to work a bit earlier than need be, the line at her usual coffee shop was surprisingly shorter than usual so the ride to work was quicker. But that was fine, she’d get a head start on the  psych evals she had stacking up on her desk. 

Balancing her laptop, because she wanted to work a little at home last night, purse and coffee in one hand while opening her office door she stopped dead in her tracks. 

There was a huge, purple box filled and over flowing with flowers. All sorts, she couldn’t name them because frankly she wasn’t a flowers girl. But even not being  a flowers girl, a small smile appeared on her face at the gesture and then it was squashed with the realization why it was there. She’d happily forgotten about it since picking up her coffee and driving in to work. 

“Son of a bitch, Leon.” because there was no other person in this building or in a fifty mile radius or even the whole country that would dare to do this on her birthday. 

“You rang.” He heard her grumble and let it slide, not wanting to get under her already bad temper. Glancing around her still solid form in the doorway to her office he saw the reason for her outburst. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean for-” She back tracked, completely unaware he was actually there. 

“Wasn’t me Jack. I’m not that stupid.” He squeezed her shoulder with his hand gently and continued on his way to his office. He usually walked past her office in the morning, just to check in if the work load wasn’t too much. 

Jack smiled apologetically at Leon. Slowly stepping into her  office she placed her purse, coffee and laptop of her coffee table and cautiously examined the outrageous flowers on her desk. She poked gently through the flowers trying to find something, anything to get a clue at who might’ve sent them. 

They were beautiful, she’d admit that to herself and maybe a few people if they commented. A nice mix of violet, pink and rich sky-blue flowers. That’s as much flower talk as she’d get into. 

“A huh!” She found a card, the size of a business card but no business on it, dammit. She flipped it over and in typed letters it read ‘Happy Birthday’. “That’s it?!” Now she was even more frustrated after finding the card. Clearly the person didn’t want to be known, so they knew she doesn’t like celebrating this day. 

The flowers were in her way and she was already behind on her work now after getting distracted by these. She huffed and picked them up, placing them high on her cabinet, enough on display that if people wanted  to, they could comment but she doubted anyone would. Unlike someone else in this building, she had a reputation of no personal talk. 

She picked up her laptop from the coffee table and set up her work space for the day. Grabbing the first file from her in tray, she opened her lap top and got to work. Occasionally sipping her coffee  as she went along.

“Three down, eight to go.” Jack hummed, alive with the sugar and caffeine but saddened that it had come to an end about half an hour ago. 

Her office phone rang which caused a very in the zone Jack to jump. “Agent Sloane,  theres a cup of coffee down here for you.” Derick at security answered nervously. 

“ Oh is there...” She drawled, curiously. “And who dropped off this coffee?” 

Derick hesitated. He knew Jack, she was slightly off this morning when she entered which meant nothing good so he had to pick his words wisely. He felt stupid as it was just coffee but someone had gone to a lot of trouble to not be known. “Uber driver, ma’am.” Throwing in the ma’am was a fifty, fifty shot she’d either be welcoming to it or rip his head off. 

“I’ll be down in a minute.” She huffed, not getting anything out of him was going to be even more annoying at the damn flowers. She looked up at them as she shut her office door. 

Derick was pleased to pass off her coffee, she hummed, it was perfect. She examined the large cup  closely, it was from her café. Now would it be stupid of her to give them a call and do a bit of investigating? Yes, yes it would. She shook the thought out of her head and it vanished once the elevator doors dinged and a silver haired, sharp looking Special Agent walked in with Agent Bishop. 

“On another coffee run, Sloane?” He seemed his usual self but Jack eyed him closely. She hadn’t seen him this morning and it was hitting 1030 which was odd because he’d usually have been by her office by now. 

“No, someone dropped it off for me at the front desk.” She shrugged it off. Someone was playing a game with her, possibly a very sweet one, they knew it would drive her nuts and on any other day she would’ve accepted it but not today. Well no, on any day off the year this would drive her nuts, today it just seemed to hit a bit closer to her emotional  centre . 

“Really?” Ellie was curious but saw Jack’s slight shrug and almost hard exterior and decided to not go any further. 

“Secret admirer, Sloane?” Gibbs on the other hand just jumped right in and Ellie would’ve elbowed him if he was anyone else. He was facing forward and used his peripheral vision to its best to get a read on Jack. She seemed unphased by his jab, unphased or trying really hard not to show anyone, anything.

“Bit gutless if you ask me.” The elevator doors dinged and they were at the Agents floor. She looked over at Ellie’s attempt to hide the shocked laugh from her comment and then to Gibbs unwavering façade. 

“Bit harsh there, Sloane.” She didn’t say anything, just gave a one shoulder shrug as he disappeared out of view and she rode the elevator up to her floor. 

Her thoughts were running away from her though. It could be Gibbs, although he wouldn’t even know what Uber eats is. She tried to shake it from her mind as she went back to her office. That didn’t work very well. She got an email from McGee saying they had a suspect in interrogation and needed her there ASAP to watch Gibbs interrogate him. 

Coffee in hand and a professional smile plastered on her face she made her way down to interrogation in time to watch Gibbs take a quick glance at her as they both entered their respective rooms. What was that look her gave her? It almost looked like a smirk. Her thoughts were back on the flowers and coffee again. 

The interrogation went nowhere, he wasn’t their killer. Didn’t have it in him. That was a waste of half an hour, she chugged the last of her coffee down and exited the  obversation room before Gibbs was even finished. 

“Gibbs knows it’s not him, just making him squirm now, possibly for more information but he doesn’t know anything. I’ll be in my office if you need  me.” With that she was gone before Torres could reply. 

Jack almost jumped again when she opened her office door to find a present wrapped nicely on her desk. She didn’t even want to open it at this point. The game was distracting her from her work and that wasn’t ok. Not today, not any day. Removing the present out of sight and out of mind she got back to work. 

A few more evals down and it was lunch time. No one had come in to disturb her all day and she was thankful, maybe it was the way she carried herself around the office this morning that had everyone staying away. Either way she didn’t mind, work had been starting to pile up over the last few weeks, too many criminals, not enough Jack.

She hopped in her car and drove the short distance to her little café she’d found a few months into working and living in DC. It was a small, mother and daughter café in a nice neighbourhood. Freshly baked goods every morning with a few different lunch items and great coffee. 

“Afternoon Jack. What can we get for you today?” Francine smiled at her regular  customer and started pouring her another coffee. 

“Think I might grab your pumpkin and feta muffin and fudge brownie to have here.” She almost laughed at the younger woman’s surprise about her dining in. 

“Did he not get the coffee to you in time this morning?” Jack was surprised at this response. Francine was asking about her coffee, the one she hadn’t gotten on her way to work and Jack’s mind was running a million miles an hour again. 

“No, no he got it to me on time.” She reassured the concerned woman. 

“Good, he was worried because he’d been called in on a case that he might not be able to get it to you.” Francine was just full of information. 

“I was told an uber drive dropped it off.” Jack was now questioning if Derick had been truthful too her, that was a dangerous thing if he hadn’t. 

“That would be one way to make sure it got to you in time if he had to go elsewhere.” Francine heated up the muffin without asking as she knew that was best and handed Jack her sugared  caffine . “He seemed like a really nice, handsome man.” She smiled at Jack with a slight flush of her cheeks. 

“More like annoying.” She mumbled without thinking but from Francine’s still smiling face she didn’t hear Jack’s little slip. “Something like that.” Jack said a bit louder and got a slightly confused look from Francine but was distracted by the beep of the microwave and she handed over her muffin and brownie.

“Enjoy. Shout if you need anything. Today’s been a slow one.” Francine went back to whatever had kept her busy before Jack walking in. 

There was only one other person in the small café, sitting by the window with their laptop at the high bar. Jack settled into a low set table for two and dig into her muffin. It was scrumptious and she wiped the plate clean before taking a break, scrolling through her phone for a few minutes before enjoying the smooth, rich, goodness that was Francine’s famous brownies. 

“All done?” Francine popped up beside Jack ready to take her empty plate and top up her coffee. 

Jack nodded. “Thank you, the muffin was fabulous.” She held out her hand to stop Fran from pouring too much coffee into her mug, enough room for a great dollop of cream and her half a cup of sugar. She laughed quietly, remembering Gibbs grumble  every time she watched Jack pour sugar into her coffee. 

“Thought you’d be over the brownie fix by now.” Fran smiled at Jack taking a big bite of her brownie. 

“What?” She was slightly  embarrassed by her mouth turned up into a confused look and quickly chewed and wiped her lips clean with a napkin. 

“Oh, sorry.” Now Fran was the one to look flushed and like she’d put her foot in it. “I assumed he gave them to you already. Picked them up with the coffee.” 

“I see.” Jack looked down at her brownie. “How’d he know?” She was thinking that in her head but Frank responded so she guessed her mind was speaking aloud for her right now. 

“He asked, what your usual  favourite is so I wrapped up a few freshly baked ones this morning. He hasn’t given them to you?” Jack began to shake her head in no but then remembered the small box on her desk. 

“Maybe. You didn’t wrap it did you?” 

“I put them in our usual takeaway wrapping but he then placed them in a nicely wrapped box.” Fran was now confused. Clearly Jack was on the back foot about this all which surprised her. “Agent Gibbs certainly took out all the stops to make sure you had a good day.” Fran knew something was definitely off now that Jack looked at her with such surprise and gathered up her remaining brownie. 

“Sorry Fran can I get a take away cup. I need to get back to work.” Jack tried her best to seem normal but for the  umpteenth time today her mind was fried. She didn’t know what to do but right now she needed to get back to her office and find that box. 

“Sorry if I overstepped. I thought-” 

“It’s fine Fran. Honestly, it’s fine.” She showed her, her best  full blown Jack smile as Fran poured her coffee into a cup and Jack left in a blur. 

“Good luck Agent Gibbs.” Fran chuckled, wiping down  Jack’s table. 

When jack got back to the  office she got off the elevator at the bullpen but there was no Gibbs. Only a grumpy Torres.

“Where Gibbs?” Jack walked up to Torres’ desk, to see him banging his keyboard and possibly muttering swear words. 

“Following a lead.” He said through clenched jaw and then looked up at Jack when she cleared her throat. 

“Something I can help you with?” She tried her best to hide her smirk but it failed. To be honest she hadn’t stopped smiling since leaving the café and she didn’t want to think about why.

“I’m fine.” He said like sounding out the letters. Clearly, something had happened to have him be the only one at HQ while the others were out in the field where everyone knew Nick would rather be. Even after being here for quite a few years now, Nick still liked it best in the field. 

Jack had nothing more to say so she high tailed it out of there, happy to stay in her office for the rest of the day. Now that she knew who the offending person was, she seemed a little more on edge and other thought it a lot more. The last present her gave her was the cute elephant painting as a very late Christmas gift but it warmed her heart to say the least. Now this? It was so over the top even for him. They were still only friends/ co-workers to this was completely out of left field for her. And why didn’t he just tell her? He can two chances, even three with the delivery of the coffee which she now guessed he dropped off at security and told Derick not to tell her anything. The uber driver was a good throw off. 

The box was what she guessed. Her favorite brownies from Fran. She smiled at her cute and almost  intamite these gifts had been. The flowers were ridiculous and now that she looked up at  them she just laughed. How could she not have known? 75% of the bunch was sky blue, just like his deep, soulful eyes. He probably laughed when picked them. 

“Ass.” Jack hummed, finishing off her own brownie from lunch. 

“Figured it out, huh.” Jethro was leaning against her door frame and Jack didn’t take her eyes off her laptop, shifting her box of brownies to the side. 

She waited a few moments before looking up at his cocky exterior but she saw through him. He was nervous., waiting, to see how she would respond. 

“Can’t shut you up usually and now you’re just  staring .” 

Yep,  definitely nervous. 

“What would you like me to say, Gibbs?” She paused, watching his movements as he pushed off the door frame, closing the door behind him and coming to sit in the chair in front of her desk. 

Gibbs just shrugged, if he said anything now his tone would be off, giving away more than he would like to admit. 

“You know better than most why I don’t celebrate this day and you went and did this anyway.” It didn’t mean to come off so harshly but her emotions were getting the better of her. Damn him. 

He took her words in, knowing exactly why she avoided this day like he did with  his. “You deserve to be celebrated.” Now that wasn’t meant to come past his tongue. 

Jack wasn’t sure what to expect out of him but it definitely wasn’t that big admission. “Well, thank you.” She smiled, feeling the blush creep up her cheeks. The thank you wasn’t for the gifts but more for the compliment. 

Gibbs leaned forward, reaching over and squeezing her hand before swiftly nabbing a bit of her brownie present. 

“Hey!” She swatted his hand away but he’d gotten a piece of his target and just like that the weighted emotion of the situation was lifted. The moment gone, yet again. She wanted it back but didn’t all at the same time. 

“I can see why they’re your favourite.” He chuckled, sucking the remnants of the brownie off his thumb and he saw Jack’s eyes darken slightly. He noted that for another time. “Case is almost wrapped, found the bastard, McGee and Ellie are picking him up now. I’ll swing by yours tonight with take out.” He chuckled at her raised brow. “Have to finish off the day. Was always my plan, if you weren’t smart enough to guess it was me.” He barely missed the flying paper ball that flew past his head. “Knew you would though.” He threw over his shoulder as he walked out of her office. 

What was with his extra cockiness today? His emotions lying on the surface, rather than deep within? What had gotten into him? She dug back into the second brownie before continuing her work for the afternoon. 

This time, Nick stopped by her office not long after and offered her an apology for his earlier mood and gave her another file for her to go through. Just a follow up from their murderer, just tying up loose ends and shutting any doubt out that this was their guy before Gibbs finished him off in interrogation. 

The rest of the day was not eventful. Jack managed to get her evals under control and sort through her emails. Leon sent an email just before she signed off to enjoy her evening and hope she wouldn’t kill Gibbs for all the gifts he had given her. Jack shook her head with a laugh and sent a quick reply asking how he knew and she wouldn’t give him any guarantees. 

She closed her laptop and decided to leave work behind for the evening, getting some butterflies in her stomach, she packed up her office from the day that was. She half wanted to take the flowers home but decided it would give too much attention if she carried it through the building to her car. Before leaving she grabbed her brownie box, it still had some brownie in it and left for the evening. 

True to his word, there was a knock at her door around 1900, she was prepared. Already in a nice but comfortable outfit, dark blue leggings, a long sweater that slipped over her shoulder slightly and hung low below her collarbones but also hugged her nicely around the waist. 

“Hello, Cowboy.” She smiled her  full blown Jack Sloane smiled that melted him in all the right places.  He was in his newest pair of jeans, Jack could tell because there were no scuffs or varnish stains on them, yet. On top he had his nice, light blue sweater and Jack almost reached out to touch him. The outfit was so nice and warm and so him. 

“You like  pasta , right?” He chuckled as she eagerly nodded and moved aside to let him in. He’d been to her place a hand full of times, more if you counted dropping her off or picking her up on the random occasions they spent together on the weekends or late at night after a case. 

“Doesn’t everyone? I feel sorry for gluten intolerant people. Although it would help my waist line.” She was rambling, why was she rambling? Why was she nervous? They’d had dinner together lots of times. Although right now she couldn’t recall that it was pasta and at her place. Had they really not had dinner at her place before?

“Your waist line is fine, Jack.” He thought back over what he had just said and internally flinched. That was the stupidest thing he’d said all day, maybe all year. Fine? God help him however she replied. 

Jack rolled her eyes. She saw him tense and realize what he had just said. “Smooth, Cowboy.” She slapped his lower back, ok maybe a bit lower. “You’re already in the bad books for getting me gifts on my birthday. Can’t dig yourself any deeper.” She brushed past him, purposefully leaving him questioning himself in her hallway as she headed towards to open kitchen, dining area. 

He was definitely confused about how to proceed but he squashed his thoughts and feeling of her hand still on his ass and how good it felt. “You want the pasta or not?” He continued the banter. That was their safe space. 

“You leave with that food not in my stomach and Leon will be right in guessing I will kill you.” She shot over her shoulder, feeling him coming up behind him while she reached up into her cupboard for plates. 

Gibbs smirked.  Of course she and Vance had been talking. He placed the bags of food on the counter beside her and rested his hand on the small of her back. Was it meant for support? He didn’t know, but it felt like the right thing to do. 

Jack faltered in her movements for a split second when she felt the heat and pressure from his hand on her back. She regained her self and grabbed the two plates she was reaching for and then felt his hand fall away. 

Gibbs sorted out the dishes out on the bench. He’d got the two most safe dishes, carbonara and spaghetti Bolognese and of course a serving of garlic bread. 

“Oh Gunny, are you trying to make me fall in lo- ve with you.” Jack was trying for their usual banter but her tone changed half  way through and her voice got slightly softer. Why was her brain doing this to her today? 

Gibbs hard exterior was crumbling, if she kept this  up he’d be owning up to things before he was planning to. It wasn’t hard to see where he was going with this. After all he never got  these kinds of gifts for anyone. 

They both served their own plates in silence and sat at her  four person dining table. Gibbs looked around at her place, it was nice and simple. She had a few paintings and photographs on the walls of the beaches she’d visited. His eye kept going back to one photo off to his left. It was a photograph of who he could only guess to be a much younger Jack in a bikini holding her long board and leaning against a convertible. 

“That was on our annual surfing trip up the California Coast. This is was the last one before I enrolled actually.” Jack had been observing him the whole time while eating. She tried to be discreet but it was hard when he was directly across from her. He kept looking over at the one photo for the past five minutes and Jack smiled. She was fond of that photo and clearly, he was too. Although why he was, was curious to her. It couldn’t just be because she was in a bikini, he was too much of a gentleman for that, wasn’t he?

“Beach looks good on you Jack.” He sounded off, maybe even sad. Jack frowned in confusion and reached out across the small table and rested her hand in his. 

“What’s up Cowboy?” Her hand in his brought his attention back to her. He looked down at their hands and then up at her. 

“Ever thought about going back to San Diego?” He scooped up some more pasta and filled his mouth before anymore words spilled out of his mouth. 

Ah, that was it. He was concerned about her suddenly ditching DC for her sunny shores again. Even though she had been in DC for over two years now, he was still worried she’d leave. She couldn’t blame that thought, his concern, she loved the beach, the hot climate and the cool rush of the ocean over her skin. DC never where she thought she would end up but here she was. Maybe there was more than Leon keeping her here now though. 

“I did for a long time but DC grew on me. Something about fires, steaks and snuggling under a nice blanket that appeals to me more now.” She smiled sweetly at him, a nice innocent look that she hoped came through. 

The word steaks clung to his brain and the front of his mind. There was no other person who she’d let cook her steak. She’d even told him that, unless it was in a nice restaurant, he was her go to for a good steak. 

He bit the proverbial bullet. Squeezing their still holding hands. “My couch is good for snuggling.” The word sounded so wrong coming off his tongue, he shook his hand and wanted to head slap himself. 

Jack laughed. He was trying so hard at finding the right words but she could see him struggling in front of her and she almost felt sorry for the guy. Almost. 

“That came out -”

“It was cute.” She moved her hand in his, intertwining their fingers for a moment before pulling away to finish off her pasta. 

“Exactly the adjective I was going for, Jack.” He snorted. They finished off their dinners in silence. He collected her plate once she was done sweeping up all her sauce with a piece of garlic bread. 

She was going to protest his chivalrousness but recoiled at the last second, noticing he needed to have a moment. A moment he got before she couldn’t help herself. It was her birthday after all and she knew what she wanted now. 

Gibbs felt her come up behind him while he was washing their dishes and went stone still when he felt her arms wrap around his middle. 

“Jack?” He held back a moan when she hugged him a bit tighter. 

“Yes?” She mumbled into his back. Resting her cheek against his soft sweater and securing her spot out of his vision so he couldn’t see how bright her cheeks were. 

Gibbs put down the plate he was wiping and dried his hands with a tea towel. He just stood there for a while, enjoying her against him but his need to see her was growing too strong to not break this contact. 

“Need to look at cha.” He said barely audible but he felt her loosen enough for him to turn around but not break her hold on him. 

“Hey there.” She rested her hands around his lower back. 

“Hey.” He lifted his hand from the counter to cup her cheek. She was really close now, his hand gently pulling her closer and he was so relieved she didn’t protest the now very tiny gap between them. 

“Why’d you get garlic bread?” They both laughed and their breath mixed between them. Maybe garlic bread wasn’t the best idea he’d had but nothing was going to stop him from closing the gap between them right now.

“Because it tastes delicious.” His lips ghosted over hers and he heard her grown at the lack of contact which only brought a smile to his smug face. 

“You’re really pushing my patience today, Jethro.” 

Her use of his first name had him melting into her. He’d have moaned if she hadn’t swallowed it for him. They made out in her kitchen until he couldn’t help his knees from almost giving way when she shoved him back harder into his counter, crushing her hips with his. 

“Hello, Cowboy.” She hummed, pleased with how his body was responding to her. 

“Smug looks sexy on you, Sloane.” 

“Back  atcha , Gibbs. Want to continue this elsewhere?” She whispered against his neck, trailing kissed from his collarbone to below his ear. 

“Lead the way birthday girl.” He got a pinch to his hip for that and regretted suggesting the move when her lips left his skin. 

“You’re lucky I like you.” She laughed when he returned a pinch to her ass. “Knew you were an ass guy.” 

“I’m a Sloane guy.” He breathed into her hair and saw the shiver run down her neck. 

“Best birthday ever.” She giggled, feeling him kiss the spot behind her ear and she closed her bedroom door behind them. If every birthday from now on ended like this one, she could get use to celebrating it. Especially if she got this much attention from this Marine. 

**Author's Note:**

> Just how i'd like my birthday day to end... no? Just me.  
> Happy New Year everyone!


End file.
